3. Spot reduction works
Unfortunately, doing hundreds of side crunches isn't the secret to making your waist smaller. Your body is genetically predisposed to storing fat in certain locations. When you begin to lose overall weight, you'll lose weight in certain locations more than others, and this is simply due to genetics.
You may lose weight in your thighs, then your chest and then your belly. You may lose weight in an entirely different order. It all depends on your genetics. You can isolate muscles or certain areas all day, but it's unlikely you'll see drastic changes in those areas without an overall decrease in body fat.
More: Beach Body Workouts for Women
4. A good workout program takes too much time
When women hear it takes 45 to 60 minutes five, five days a week, to achieve the body they want, of course they're scared away. Achieving your goals doesn't take this long, though.
Decreasing body fat and gaining lean muscle can be accomplished in two to three sessions a week. It's simply about picking quality over quantity. Focus on compound movements such as squats, deadlifts, planks and push-ups, as these require a lot of effort from the body and initiate the burning of fat.
5. One fitness plan works for everyone
Every body is different. Those generic fitness and nutrition plans in magazines and on the Internet will not work for everyone who tries them.
This doesn't mean you should avoid a plan if it's not working after a few weeks, though. The only way to know if it will be successful is to try it for at least four to six weeks and track your results. Bouncing around quickly from one program to another does not give your body enough time to adjust and show potential results.
6. Light weights and lots of reps is the only way to burn fat
Light weights are great for building muscular endurance, but using them isn't the only way to burn fat. In order to create growth and muscle definition, the body has to activate type II (fast twitch) muscle fibers, which are responsible for explosive and powerful movements. Type I (slow twitch) muscles are responsible for more endurance activities.
You may "feel the burn" when lifting 3-pound weights for 15 to 20 repetitions, but this is typically not enough to create a stimulus for muscle growth. Although lifting lighter weights has its time and place in a workout program, if the end goal is fat loss and muscle definition, it shouldn't be the bulk of your routine.
More: 6 Butt-Toning Exercises for Women
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